On the Subject of Reports by Committees and Groups of the R.S.D.L.P. to the General Party Congress[2]

Oneof the members of the Organising Committee has asked me to send a list
      of questions to which it would be desirable to have replies given in the
      reports of the committees and groups of our Party at its Second
      Congress. I enclose herewith an approximate list of such questions, but
      first I should like to say a few words about the length of this
      list. Naturally, it would bedesirableto have reports onallbranches of Social-Democratic work, and the ideal report
      would therefore embrace an all but endless number of questions. Of course,
      we cannot even dream of it being possible to present such full
      reports. Nevertheless, I consider it very important and essential for the
      Organising Committee to endeavour to acquaint each committee or group withthe complete rangeof questions of interest to (and needed by)
      the congress. Our Second Congress will have an even moreconstituentcharacter than the First, and we must therefore bend
      every effort towards making the reports as complete and substantial as
      possible. Theclosereach group’s report approximates to the
      ideal, the more completely and exactly will the movement as a whole be
      represented at our congress, and the more enduring the results of the
      congress.

Thepreparation of the reports, their discussions both in the committees
      and groups, etc., should begin as much as possible prior to the
      congress. In this connection it would be extremely important for the
      committees and groups, first, to divide among many of their members the
      work of drawing up the report; secondly, as soon aseachsectionof the report is ready the committees and groups shouldimmediatelyforward a copy of it abroad, i.e., to a safe place
      (without waiting for thecompletereport); thirdly, they should
      make a point of drawing into this work not only actual but also former
      members, and not only the active but also absent members, in other words,
      those in exile or abroad. These persons could be instructed to prepare
      reports covering either a definite group of questions or a definite period
      when they worked in the committee or group. Such reports, or sections of
      reports, could greatly facilitate the task of the delegates at the
      congress. It stands to reason, furthermore, that the delegates should also
      make use of Party literature which contains numerous answers to questions
      in any report, i.e., they should try to gather all this literature, make a
      digest of all that is essential in it, correct any mistakes occurring in
      it, supplement it, adding whatever could not be printed for reasons of
      secrecy, etc. (it is also of the utmost importance to enlist for this work
      the co-operation of former members of committees and groups who are
      temporarily abroad). Incidentally, with regard to secrecy it should be
      added that there are certain questions to which written answers cannot and
      should not be given, for that would be disclosing secrets; nevertheless,
      the answers to these questions must positively be considered, prepared,
      and discussed by the committees and groups, for at the Party congress it
      will beobligatoryto report on these questions (if notin
      pleno, then to a special commission, to the C.C., etc.).

Witha view to drawing as many people as possible into the work of
      drafting the reports, it would be desirable to circulate thelistof questionsitself(together with the amendments recommended by
      specific committees, groups or individual comrades)as widely as
      possible; moreover, only the fact that these questions and reports
      are intended for the Second Party Congress should be kept secret from the
      broad circles of Social-Democrats.

Finally,there arises the question of the period to be covered by the
      reports. Formally speaking, it should be the period between the First and
      Second Congresses, i.e., from 1898 to 1903. However, since the First
      Congress was not fully representative, lasted too short a time, and was
      held under extremely unfavourable circumstances, it would be desirablethat the reports should also cover the period preceding
      1898.

Itwould perhaps not be superfluous to make the reservation that this
      extremely detailed list of questions for the report should by no means be
      interpreted to imply that the person who is best acquainted with the
      history of the movement, or, in general, who is best able to answer all
      these questions, will make the best delegate to the congress. The congress
      should be of practical value in uniting the movement and giving it a
      powerful impulse, and those comrades who, even if they are new, are the
      most energetic, influential, and devoted to revolutionary work will make
      the best delegates. The reports, however, can be compiled from the
      contributions of many people and, in addition, in some cases it will
      perhaps be possible to delegate more than one person; it would be
      particularly desirable to give alarge number of workerdelegates
      the opportunity of attending the congress.

Ishall now proceed to give the list of questions, which are divided up
      into eight sections or groups (the division of specific questions and even
      of groups of questions is often artificial and has been made only for
      convenience in reviewing them, as all questions are most closely
      interconnected).

I. The
	Working-Class Movement, its History and Present State

1)A brief description of the conditions and state of industry. Number,
      composition, distribution, and other specific features of the local
      proletariat (industrial, commercial, handicraft, etc., possibly
      agricultural also).

2)To what extent are the workers affected by socialist agitation? In what
      districts? Factories? Domestic industry, etc. Describe in as great detail
      as possible the growth of this group of workers from the very outset of
      the movement.

3)As complete a list as possible of strikes and a detailed account of
      each more or less big strike. Aggregate figures are desirable.

4)Have there been any outstanding instances of boycotts or other collective

      action,[1]besides strikes, on the part of the workers? Give details.

5)What workers’ circles have existed and still exist? Mutual aid
      societies?  Self-education societies? Working-class organisations? Trade
      unions? Fullest possible description of all such associations, their
      organisation, predominant composition, membership, period of existence,
      nature of activities, results of experience in this respect, etc.

6)Have any attempts been made to organise legal workers’ societies?
      Detailed information about each such at tempt, its results, effect, fate,
      present condition, and importance. The same with regard to Zubatov
      societies. Have any attempts been made to utilise legal societies for
      Social-Democratic purposes?

7)Effect of the present crisis? Description of it, primarily on the basis
      of information given by workers. The unemployed, their mood, agitation
      among them, etc.

II. History of
	the Local Socialist Circles, Appearance of the Social-Democrats,
	Struggle of Trends Within Them

8)Were there any traces of the old socialist organisations when
      Social-Democracy appeared? What did they consist of and how did they make
      themselves felt? When did propaganda and agitation begin among the working
      class, and who started it? The followers of the Narodnaya Volya? What was
      their attitude towards Social-Democracy?

9)When and under what circumstances did individual Social-Democrats or
      Social-Democratic circles make their appearance? Give, in as much detail
      as possible, a description ofeachcircle (in accordance with its
      programme), its importance and influence on subsequent circles.

10)How did Social-Democratic views take shape and develop in the local
      circles? What was the influence of other (towns) places? Of literature
      from abroad? Of legally published Marxist literature (and the literature
      of the “criticsof Marxism”)? Describe the influence of the first, second and third
      factors as fully as possible.

11)Differences within the Social-Democratic movement. Did they exist
      before the appearance of the Manifesto of 1898? How did they express
      themselves? Have any documents remained? How was the Manifesto received?
      What protests or dissatisfaction did it arouse and from whom? How did the
      so-called “economist” views arise? How did they develop and
      spread? It is very important to describe this most accurately, using all
      available documentary material, with regard to every
      “economist” “phase” in the local movement. How did
      differences in the appraisal of the various Party papers and in the
      struggle among their adherents express themselves? OfRabochaya

	Gazeta[3](1897),Rabotnik,[4]published abroad, and itsListok, ofBabochaya Mysl,
      Rabocheye Dyelo, Iskra, Zarya, Borba,

	Zhizn,[5]etc., etc.?

11b i s) Have there been any splits and conflicts between
      workers and the “intelligentsia” among Social-Democrats? It is
      very important to ascertain the causes and influence of such.

12)How has the struggle of trends been waged in the local circles? Only
      among the Social-Democratic intellectuals? Or among the workers too? Among
      the adherent student groups? Has it found expression in splits? In the
      organisation of separate groups? Has it flared up over general questions
      of principle? Over the contents of the leaflets? Over the question of
      demonstrations? Over the attitude to wards the student movement? Over the
      question of the May Day demands?

Describein detail the course and consequences of the struggle among the
      trends, and the present state of affairs in this respect.

III. Organisation of the Local
	Committee, Local Groups and Circles

13)Predominant composition of the committee (resp.of the group,
      circle, and, if there are many, of each specificone)?Students?
      Workers? Are members added by election (and how is this done?), or
      otherwise? Are there separate intellectuals’and workers’ committees? Special technical, propagandist, agitational
      groups? Literary, central, district, local, executive groups? Their
      relationships according to the “Rules” (if such exist) and in
      actual practice? General meetings, their functions, frequency, and size?
      Organisation of contacts with other towns and abroad (i.e., special
      people, groups or persons outside the groups, etc.)? How is the
      distribution of literature organised?  Organisation of tours?

Whatare the conclusions to be drawn from experience in organisational
      matters, and the prevailing views on organisational principles in the
      committees, among the intellectuals and the workers?

Itis particularly important to give a detailed explanation of the causes
      andeffectsof the formation of separate intellectuals’ and
      workers’ (factory, artisan, etc.) committees.

14)Extension of work to nearby and other localities? What form has this
      taken: organised or sporadic? Have attempts been made to formdistrictorganisations or to participate in them?

Characterof contacts with other localities.

Historyof the origin and work of district organisations. Composition of
      central district committee? Attitude towards local committees? Collection
      of funds?  District treasuries? Repositories for literature? Effect of the
      district organisations upon the scope of the work, its stability, contact
      with the local committees, etc.

15)Finances of the committee? Statement of aggregate income and
      expenditure (based on reports, if any) for the entire period of existence?
      Ordinary and average budget, nature of its sources,collections raised
      among workers, levies on members, payment for literature, socials,
      donations, etc. (influence ofOsvobozhdeniyeand
      Socialist-Revolutionaries in this respect).

Amountand character of expenditure: technical aspects? maintenance of
      people?  travelling expenses? etc.

IV. Character,
	Content, and Scope of Local Work

16)Propaganda. Composition (of the circles) of propagandists? Their
      number, method of action? Do they include workers? Do students
      predominate? Do more experiencedcomrades examine and direct their activities? Usual programmes of
      lectures, and how these are modified in the course of time? Workers’
      response and requests for definite subjects? Is it a practice to send
      speakers with good lectures to various towns, districts, etc.? Composition
      and size, frequency and circumstances of lecture meetings?

17)Economic agitation. When did issue of leaflets begin? Is it possible
      to give the total number of leaflets issued and in how many copies?
      (Approximately?)  What districts, factories, and trades has this agitation
      involved? The procedure adopted in drawing up and approving leaflets?
      Participation of workers in this? Technique of publication anddistribution?Do workers act as distributors? To what extent is
      the demand for leaflets met?

18)Political agitation. Transition from economic agitation? When did it
      begin?  Has it evoked any protests? When were the first political leaflets
      issued?  Was there a time whenonlyeconomic leaflets were
      issued? How is political agitation carried out and on what pretexts?
      Describe as fully as possible its expansion both as to the nature of the
      leaflets and as to the sphere of distribution. Documentary material is
      desirable, since it is important to knowall instancesof
      political agitation and all its spheres. Has it been conducted only among
      workers or among other classes as well (cf. below)? Methods and procedure
      in drawing up leaflets, demand for them, and extent to which this demand
      is met? Which are more needed, local or general leaflets?

19)Literature. What illegal publications are distributed? Enumerate them,
      stating how widely they are distributed, the attitude of the committee and
      the workers (resp.of the public in general) towardseachpublication (pamphlets, etc.). Time of distribution, demand,
      among which sections, chiefly for what literature?

Distributedor scattered? Collective reading in circles? What items have
      required explanation by intellectuals? Is interpretative reading widely
      practised? Of what works specifically?

20)Local and general Party press. History of the local paper. How
      frequently issued? Number of copies? How has the literary end been
      organised?  Collection and safekeeping (loss?) of material? Organisation
      of contributions tothe local and general Party organs? Are there special literary groups?
      Reporters? Contacts with literary people? How are contributions forwarded?
      Through the committee? Through private persons and to what extent?
      Attempts to utilise students? Exiles?

Conclusionsand inquiries about the papers.

21)May Day rallies. Account of each May Day rally and lessons for the
          future.

22)Demonstrations. Summary information on each demonstration. Attempts to
      organise in general? To offer resistance in particular? To arm? Views of
      workers and of “practicians” in general on this question?

Supplementingand checking of Party literature on demonstrations.

Presentattitude towards this question.

V. Attitude
	Towards Revolutionary (Especially Social-Democratic) Groups of Other
	Races and Nationalities

23)Are there any workers of other nationalities and races? Work among
      these?  Organised or sporadic? In what languages? Attitude towards
      Social-Democratic groups working in same locality and using some other
      language? A precise and detailed account of these relations is
      desirable. Are there differences of opinion? On question of principle as
      to the national programme? On tactics? On organisation? Relations
      desirable for joint work. Possibility of asingleParty organ? Is
      federation desirable, and of what type?

VI. Print-Shops,
	Transport, and Arrangements for Secret Work

24)Print-shops. Experience in establishing them. Expenditure of money and
      forces. Productivity. Need for local print-shops (for leaflets?) and
      general print-shops for many towns? Technical, organisational, financial,
      and secrecy arrangements for this work.

25)Transport. Have there been contacts in this field? Transport groups?
      History of each and detailed informationon arrangements, functioning, results, and prospects. Desirable form of
      organisation.

26)Arrangements for secret work. Secret quarters? Signals? Underground
      quarters? Procurement of passports? Experience in this respect? Are there
      necessary contacts for this?

Arrangementof rendezvous?

Shadowingof spies? The struggle against spies andagents
      provocateurs?Its forms, previous and desirable?

Codes,correspondence between towns, within the town, with abroad?

Lectureson: “How to behave at police interrogations?” Need for
      pamphlets on this and other subjects?

Committeerecords? Have there been such and have they been kept in the
      past? At present?

VII. Contacts
	and Activity Among Sections of the Population Outside the Working
	Class

27)Work among the peasantry? Are there individual contacts? Detailed
      information about such? How are contacts made and maintained, and with
      what peasants? With agricultural workers? Role of factory workers who go
      to the villages?

Attemptsat propaganda? Distribution of pamphlets? Leaflets? What kind?
      How successful?

Existingsituation and prospects.

28)Students. Is influence sporadic and personal, or or ganised? Have many
      Social-Democrats come from the midst of the students? Are there any
      contacts with students’ circles, fraternities, union councils? How are
      these contacts main tained? Lectures? Distribution of literature?
      Prevalent mood among students and the history of changes in various moods.

Attitudetowards student disturbances?

Students’participation in demonstrations? Attempts to reach preliminary
      agreement in this respect?

Studentsas propagandists, their training for this work?

29)Secondary schools, Gymnasia, theological seminaries, etc., commercial
      and business schools? Nature of contacts with pupils? Attitude towards new
      phase of upsurge in movementamong them? Attempts to organise circles and study courses? Have recruits
      to the Social-Democratic movement been made (and how often) amopg recent
      Gymnasium grad uates (or pupils)? Circles, lectures? Distribution of lit
      erature?

30)Contacts with “society”? In the past and today, and among what
      sections? Based on money collections? Distribution of literature?  For
      organisation of legal libraries? To collect information and
      correspondence? Changes in the attitude of “society” towards
      Social-Democrats. Demand for Social-Democratic literature? Contacts among
      civil servants? Among postal, telegraph, and railway em ployees? Among
      factory inspectors? Among police employees? Among the clergy? Etc.?

Itis likewise desirable to have an account of the experience of
      individual committee members in establishing personal contacts among
      various sections.

31)Contacts with the military? Part played by Social-Democratic
      intellectuals and workers who have completed military service? Contacts
      among commissioned and non commissioned officers? How are these contacts
      maintained and utilised? Importance of these contacts in agitation,
      propaganda, organisation, etc.

Itis desirable that particularly detailed information be given on this
      question and the preceding, since the problem is a new one and numerous
      isolated measures have to be summed up and collated.

VIII. State of
	the Non-Social-Democratic Revolutionary and Opposition Trends and Attitude
	Towards Them

32)Liberal trends. Liberal-Narodnik. Among the public? Among the
      students?Osvobozhdeniye, its circulation (among students? among
      workers?)  and its influence? Are there anyOsvobozhdeniyecircles? Their attitude towards the Social Democrats?

InterestinOsvobozhdeniyeamong Social-Democratic circles and
      attitude towards this publication. Is it utilised for propaganda and
      agitation?

Generalmeetings with debates?

33)Socialist-Revolutionaries. Detailed account of their appearance in the
      given locality? When? From the

      N. V. [Narodnaya Volya.–Ed.]?

      Their change into the Socialist-Revolutionaries? Influence of
      “economism”? Character and composition of their contacts and
      circles? Veterans? Students? Workers? The struggle against the
      Social-Democrats, its course, and how conducted?

Unitedgroups of Social-Democrats and Socialist-Revolutionaries. Their
      detailed history, data on their work,l e a f l e t s,
      resolutions of groups, and so on.

Specialfeatures of weakness or strength of the Socialist-
      Revolutionaries?  Inclination towards terrorism? Among students? Among
      workers?

Workof the Socialist-Revolutionaries among the peasantry? Character of
      their contacts and activities there? Influence of their “agrarian
      programme”?

34)Other groups and trends. TheSvobodagroup, Workers’ Party
      for the Political Liberation of Russia,

      Makhayevists,[6]Rabocheye Znamya-ists, etc. An account of their views, attitude
	towards Social-Democracy, information about their contacts and work.

[1]Collective statements? Public meetings? Participation in public
      manifestations? etc.
    —Lenin

[2]Lenin’s workOn the Subject of Reports by Committees and Groups of the
	R.S.D.L.P. to the General Party Congresswas published in the
	preceding Russian edition of theCollected Worksaccording to a
	copy of Lenin’s manuscript. Subsequently, Lenin’s original manuscript
	was discovered. In the present edition of V. I. Lenin’sCollected
	Worksthis article is for the first time published according to
	Lenin’s original manuscript.

[3]Rabochaya Gazeta (Workers’Gazette)—illegal organ of the
      Kiev Social-Democrats, was published in Kiev with the participation and
      under the editorship of B. L. Eldelman, P. L. Tuchapsky, N. A. Vigdorchik,
      and others. In all, two numbers were issued: No. 1— in August 1897,
      and No. 2—in December (marked as November) of that
      year. P. L. Tuchapsky, who went abroad on the instructions of the
      Editorial Board, acquainted G. V. Plekhanov and other members of the
      Emancipation of Labour group with No. I ofRabochaya Gazeta, and
      secured their consent to contribute to the paper. In a letter to the
      members of the Editorial Board, G. V. Plekhanov gave a favourable
      appraisal of the paper as an all-Russian Social-Democratic organ, and
      pointed out that more attention should be paid to questions of the
      proletariat’s political struggle. Following this contact with the
      Emancipation of Labour group, No. 2 ofRabochaya Gazetawas more
      definitely political in character. The Social-Democrats, grouped roundRabochaya Gazeta, worked on the preparations for the First
      Congress of the R.S.D.L.P.

TheFirst Congress of the R.S.D.L.P. (March 1898) recognisedRabochaya
	Gazetaas the official Party organ. After the Congress, the third
	issue of the newspaper, which was ready for the press, did not appear
	owing to the arrest of members of the Central Committee and theRabochaya GazetaEditorial Board, and also to the seizure of
	the printing-press. In 1899 an attempt was made to re sume publication
	ofRabochaya Gazeta;V. I. Lenin speaks about this attempt in
	section “a” of the fifth chapter ofWhat Is to Be
	Done?(see present edition, Vol. 5).

[4]Rabotnik (The Worker) —a non-periodical miscellany
      published in 1896-99 by the Union of Russian Social-Democrats Abroad, on
      the initiative of Lenin. The first number, which carried Lenin’s article,
      “Frederick Engels,” was published not earlier than March 1896.

Sixnumbers ofRabotnikwere issued in three books, and 10
      numbers ofListok “Rabotnika” (The “Rabotnik”
      Bulletin).

[5]Zhizn (Life)—amonthly magazine published in St. Petersburg
      between 1897 and 1901 and abroad in 1902. From 1899 the magazine was the
      organ of the “legal Marxists.”

Itpublished Lenin’s article, “Reply to Mr. P. Nezhdanov”
      (No. 12, December 1899) and two articles entitled “Capitalism in
      Agriculture (Kautsky’s Book and Mr. Bulgakov’s Article)” in Nos. 1 and 2,
      January and February 1900 (see present edition, Vol. 4, pp. 160-65 and
      105-59).

[6]Makhayevists, Makhayevism—ananarchist trend hostile to
      Marxism and headed by the Polish socialist, V. K. Makhaysky, who wrote
      under the pen-name of A. Volsky. Their programme was set out in a book by
      Makhaysky,The Intellectual Worker(published in three parts:
      parts 1 and 2 were hectographed in 1899 and 1900 in Siberia, where the
      author had been exiled, while Part 3 came out in Geneva in
      1904). Makhayevism was marked by hostility towards the intelligentsia,
      which Makhaysky considereda parasitic class, and by an attempt to foster among the working class
      antagonism towards the revolutionary intelligentsia. Individual
      Makhayevist groups lacking any organisational form or links with one
      another existed in Irkutsk, Odessa, Warsaw, St. Petersburg, and
      elsewhere. The Makhayevists’ influence on the working class was
      negligible.